


Cockswain

by Manuscriptor



Series: Pirate AU [4]
Category: CreamHeroes (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Pirates, idk man, no tags head empty, the typical violence and fighting that comes with pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:56:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25946944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manuscriptor/pseuds/Manuscriptor
Summary: In their search to get revenge, TT takes Lulu and Lala north, looking to recruit the aid of Coco "Cockswain" Dewl.All of the pirates are coming together for a final battle, hoping to end things once and for all.
Relationships: Coco/Momo (CreamHeroes)
Series: Pirate AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1387735
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

“Warm enough?” TT asked, pulling on her own thick, wool-lined coat.

Lulu and Lala were already wrapped in their own coats, bundled up against the snow and biting wind, and they nodded. 

They had been sailing through the frigid northern oceans, huge sloughs of ice and snow drifting through the dark blue depths of the water around them for weeks now. At the beginning of this whole voyage, they had spent days in port, fortifying the front of TT’s ship—the _Lovers’ Bed_ —with huge metal plates. For good reason too. It was the only reason they were able to cut through the ice and debris. 

Now, they were pulling up to a sheer rocky cliff-face, dangerous and cold-looking. Vast chunks of ice hid the dangerous shallows at the base, and mounds of snow curled over the top, hanging like a noose over their heads. 

TT’s crew was steering them into the small cove that looked like it had been blasted out of the cliff face by hand to create a fjord that sheltered any ship from the elements. They scrambled throughout rigging and sails to make sure the sides of the ship didn’t scrape against stone or ice, several cats in the crow’s nest calling out directions and points of danger.

Lulu and Lala huddled close to each other. 

They had spent weeks of recovery on TT’s ship, healing from their wounds and resting from their time out at sea. It felt odd being on a ship that they weren’t in charge of. TT didn’t let them do any work at first, ordering them sternly to stay below deck and out of the way. In fact, now was the first time they had felt the wind in their fur in weeks. 

“Are you sure about this?” Lala asked. 

TT nodded, leaning out over the railing to make sure the hull of her ship wasn’t close to danger. “Coxswain Dewl is our best bet,” she said, flicking her tail as she bounded around the deck and double checked ropes and knots and sails. “He and DD Marooner have been at each other’s throats for _ages_. If we can get his fire power behind our cause, we’re better off than without.” 

Lulu and Lala didn’t get a chance to say anything as the _Lover’s Bed_ rounded the final corner and eased into a large lagoon sheltered safely on all sides except the entrance by sheer cliff walls. 

From their spot on the deck, Lulu and Lala could see the half dozen or so ships docked along the docks, safely anchored and sails tied down. The docks themselves were empty, and stone steps carved into the very rock of the island led upwards away from the shore. The only building visible was a huge wooden mansion at the top of the hill, looking out over the bay. 

It was built in a northern style, the dark shingled roofs layered up and up and up into towering spires. It stood out starkly against the stone, wood-against-stone and huge and imposing. Behind it, somewhere deeper inland, Lulu and Lala could see the pillars of smoke from some other living quarters, maybe even a village. 

TT’s crew slung anchor, docking with expert ease, a half dozen of them dropping down onto the docks to loop ropes around the piers. A gangplank was dropped, and then there was nothing to stop them from dismounting. 

“Let’s go,” TT said, securing her belt of pistols and knives across her chest. They were hidden under her coat though, which made Lulu and Lala feel a bit better. 

The walk up the cold, snowy steps was quiet and tense. Their breath huffed out in clouds even though the sun was bright and the sky was clear. Anywhere else and the weather would be considered nice. Here though, it was practically freezing. 

They reached the front door of the huge house without incident, but as TT raised a paw to knock, it was pushed open from inside, and the cat coming out almost ran straight into them. His golden eyes went round, and before any of the pirates could say anything, he was pulling a fur-lined hood up over his head, covering his smooshed snout and ears and hurrying past them like he didn’t want to be seen in the first place. 

Lulu and Lala turned to stare after him in awe. 

“Was that?” Lulu started. 

“Captain Momo _Maynard_?” Lala finished.

TT spat on the stone steps after him, the liquid freezing over moments later. “Pirate-killer,” she said and then rolled her eyes. “But I shouldn’t be surprised.” 

She didn’t bother knocking this time, just pushed her way through the now-open doors and into the well-heated interior of the home. 

The front doors opened up into a huge front room, and the inside of the house was just as extravagant as the outside. Huge wooden beams looking like they had carved from whole trees made up the looming pillars that held up open, second-story balconies. Overstuffed cushions and brilliant tapestries covered most of the surfaces, and everything that wasn’t carved and treated wood was capped and covered in gold. 

Huge bookcases stretched across the far side of the room, a golden telescope was propped up in front of a window, and at least three visible fireplaces were crackling and roaring. Persian rugs stretched across the floors, layered over each other in a purposeful display of extravagance. From somewhere deeper in the house, the smell of cooking meat and bread and herbs and spices seeped through the entire house. 

The place seemed empty at first glance, until a completely white cat pushed themselves upright from where they had been sprawled across a wide, round ottoman. He wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing but didn’t seem to care as he brushed his fur out of his eyes and smirked in the direction of the front door. 

“Back already?” he purred. “I knew you couldn’t stay away long.” 

“Maynard is pulling out of the bay already,” TT said with a roll of her eyes. “I thought you handled yourself better than this, Coco.” 

And _that’s_ where Lulu and Lala recognized the cat. 

Coco “Coxswain” Dewl was a terror of the northern seas, known for his luxurious ships and extravagant lifestyle. Every one of his crew members—which totaled in the hundreds and thousands with his entire fleet—never complained about the cold or hunger or averse work conditions. Coco’s ships were intimidating fluyts typically, three different decks, smoke stacks and canons, gold festooned, and flying a flag with a golden cat skull on it--Coco’s own personal colors. 

He now looked them over, not a shred of shame or embarrassment as he pushed himself to his feet. 

“Blackbones,” he said with a nod at TT. He scooped a bell off of a side table and rang it. 

A second later a maid darted into the room, carrying a porcelain kettle set on a tray with cups of cream and sugar along with multiple cups. She set the tray down within Coco’s reach, gave a quick bow, and then darted out of the room without a word. 

Coco yawned as he poured himself a cup of coffee, adding a dash of cream, and then finally turning to address them again. He still hadn’t put on clothes. 

“I thought you stopped with your affairs,” TT said, shrugging off her coat as she stepped further into the room. “What is this? The fourth? Fifth? How many different naval officers?” 

Coco just shrugged. “Why would Davy Jones stay in his own locker?” he said, flicking his tail as he sipped from his cup. “I know what I’m doing, and I’ll have you know that I’m doing it _well_.” 

TT snorted and draped her coat on a spare hook. Lulu and Lala copied her to be as polite as possible. 

Coco narrowed his eyes slightly. “You’re pretty far from your own seas,” he said. “Did you really sail all this way just to lecture me about my personal relationships? I thought you didn’t ascribe to the stereotype of a mothering queen.” 

Now it was TT’s turn to lay back her ears. “Careful,” she said with a growl. 

Coco smirked and took another sip from his cup. “Then enough about us,” he said. His icy blue gaze shifted to Lulu and Lala, and he regarded both of them with a cool calculation. “Who are these kittens? And why did you bring them to my home?”

Lulu opened his mouth to snap back, but TT stopped him with a paw across his chest. 

“They were attacked,” she said. “By DD Marooner.” 

That made Coco’s ears perk up before he could neutralize his expression. He tried to collect himself then, taking a careful sip of his coffee before refilling his cup. But his eyes gleamed with an eagerness and he motioned for them to come in, gesturing to the overstuffed chairs and sofas. 

“Coffee?” he offered. “I own the farm myself. The beans are harvested and roasted by hand. It truly is the best you will ever have.” He didn’t even wait for an answer, pouring three cups and offering it to them as they all took their seats. 

Lulu and Lala didn’t dare say no, and TT took hers along with a cube of sugar that she stirred in. 

Coco sprawled himself across a different couch, now grinning at them, tail flicking in excitement. “Tell me _everything_ ,” he urged.

And so Lulu and Lala did. 

They told him about their small crew but formidable ship, how they had been amassing riches and treasures, and how their reputation had been slowly growing the longer they were on the sea. They told him about the accidental attack on one of DD Marooner’s ships and how he had hunted them down and burned both their ship and their hideout. Everything had been lost. The days at sea after that had been a blur, their small lifeboats and few surviving crew getting separated in the first storm, and how Lulu and Lala had barely been lucky enough to make it to a port where TT and her own ships just happened to be docked.

And then they came here. 

Coco listened to the entire story with rapt attention, eyes wide and leaning eagerly in his seat. He refilled his coffee a couple times, adding more and more milk until it was as pale as his own fur. By the time they had finished, he was grinning like he had gotten the canary himself and sat back in his seat with a laugh. 

“Ah, now I see,” he said. “You were right to bring them here, Blackbones. Very, very right to bring them here.” 

He stood and set his cup aside, brushing down his fur and clapping his paws. 

Another attendant appeared seemingly out of nowhere, holding a silk bathrobe for Coco to slip into. He tied the waist closed and then motioned for them to follow him deeper into the house. 

“You’ll have to give me a couple days, of course,” he explained as they walked. “I will send word to town. I’m sure you saw the smoke. Most of my crew and their families are currently living there. We tend to hole up during the colder months, when trading vessels are less common.” 

The deeper they went into the house, the more elaborate and bizarre it became. Art pieces of landscapes and statues of abstract ideas were displayed here and there. Huge tapestries of Coco himself in full winter regalia striking a pose on the deck of a ship stretched for one entire hall, very obviously commissioned but no one was about to talk about how gaudy or egotistical it was. 

Lulu and Lala couldn’t help but stop and stare at one portrait of Captain Momo Manyard that they stumbled across. The naval officer was splayed across a bed in the picture, the silk sheets bunched around him and the morning sunlight streamed through the window, playing across his body. He was naked, of course, and when Coco caught them staring, he dragged a paw across the frame with a sort of coy possessiveness. 

“I paid for a professional French artist to sail all the way up here,” he said with a purr. “All three of us had a _wonderful_ , _extremely_ productive weekend.” 

Lulu and Lala both swallowed hard and smiled as politely as they could, not daring to make a comment, positive or otherwise. 

They finally arrived at a glass-walled study, stocked with even more books and maps and mathematical instruments. Most of the room was taken up by a huge table which had a map of the known seas burned into the top. Small figurines of ships—marked both with Coco’s colors, naval flags, and even as other pirates—were sprinkled across the map. Coco scooped up a hooked cane, leaning casually on the table and using it to push a small fleet of his ships even further along the northern border of the world. 

Lulu shivered at the thought of spending weeks that far north, hunting the waters for any sort of life, freezing and half-dead, losing fingers and toes and tails to frostbite. 

“You’ll have to excuse me,” Coco said, grabbing a square of chalk and capping the end of the cane. “I haven’t been out on the ocean in months. The locations of my own ships should be fairly accurate but the others will be a bit more like guess-work.”

It was still leagues of information and resources beyond what Lulu and Lala currently had at their disposal, and they stepped up to the map, surveying it over.

Lulu even spotted a small figurine of his own ship, marked with the twin skulls that he and Lala flew. As he watched, Coco used the cane to reach across the map to knock it on its side. He didn’t even look ashamed. 

“Let’s get the right players on the board,” he said, pulling out a gorgeously carved box with twin silver latches that he undid with a snap. 

The inside was lined with velvet and had multiple sections that swung out on articulated arms. Nestled inside their own compartments were small ship figurines and small stacks of different flags and markers. It looked like a playset—a very heavy, very expensive, solid metal playset. A playset that Coco excitedly dug into, pulling out ships and attaching appropriate flags and setting them out on the map like a child getting ready to play. 

Which, in a way, they were.

“As far as my contacts can tell me,” Coco said, setting down ships that were marked with DD’s silver dollar-eyed flag. “Marooner regularly sails down the African coasts, spending a month or so docked in a fishing town at the very tip, collecting supplies and resources before making the huge trip across the Atlantic to sail up the coast of South America.” 

He set the ships down at the tip of Africa, tapping the area with the end of his cane. 

“It’s a yearly migration he does,” he went on. “A routine that we can rely on. Unless, of course, he gets an enemy in his sights.” He looked pointedly at Lulu and Lala with a condescending grin. “Because then, of course, he will divert from his typical path.”

“It wasn’t our fault,” Lulu muttered, grabbing an unimportant piece from off the coasts of Australia and turning it over in his paws. “It was an _accident_.” 

“And yet here we are,” Coco said. “My point is, Marooner will be docking in the African port city soon—I’d say in the next couple of weeks to months if my sources are correct. He will be at his peak of strength with both guns and food and crew. Attacking him now or even in a few weeks, would be suicide.” 

“So . . . what?” Lala asked, crossing her paws over her chest. “We wait for him to cross the Atlantic?” 

Coco shook his head. “ _Gods, no,_ ” he said. “I’m not about to force my crews and ships to travel that far. That’s throwing money at a problem that doesn’t even concern me.” 

Lulu laid back his ears and narrowed his eyes, but Coco didn’t seem concerned. 

“No, I’m not going to do anything like that,” he continued. “Marooner is deadly. I’m not going to force my men to fight him especially when he is fresh from port with more than enough guns to level my whole fleet.” 

“So what then?” Lala asked. “As soon as he leaves for South America, the only way to catch him is to make the same journey. And that’s dangerous . . . and expensive, like you said.” 

“Oh, I know,” Coco said, using his cane to push Marooner’s ships across the sea to rest on the opposite side of the planet. “Which is why we’re going to let them make that journey.” 

He hooked the end of the cane around the ships and dragged them up the coast of South America and then in one movement, dragged them all the way back to Europe. 

“And then we’ll let them come back,” he said triumphantly. “We’ll let them make the big journey over and the big journey back.” 

Lala’s ears perked up and she leaned eagerly on the table, tail already twitching excitedly. “He’ll be exhausted,” she said. 

Coco nodded. “And with food and guns and shot running low, he will be weaker than ever,” he said. “It would be the perfect time to strike, and it’s our best chance if we want an actual shot at winning.” 

“But that’s months away,” Lulu said. He wasn’t nearly as excited about this as Lala was. “A whole year.” 

Coco shrugged, scooping up the toy ships and turning them over with a sort of feigned interest. “I don’t see why that is a problem,” he said. “We are using my ships and my men, and I’m not too keen on throwing them away. They are loyal to me for a reason—because I treat them with respect, provide them with gold and food and housing. I am going to assume that you aren’t overly eager to throw my personal money and crews away that quickly. So I am going to ask—are you in a rush to throw your own life away?” 

Lulu gritted his teeth but knew enough to hold his tongue. Lala put a paw on his chest before stepping between him and Coco. 

“Fine,” she said. “A year. We can wait.” 

“Good,” Coco said, putting the ships back in their slots and then closing up the box. “Because that’s my only offer.” 

He set the cane aside and scooped up a bell from a side table, ringing it. In a moment, another attendant hurried into the room, keeping their gaze respectfully on the floor. 

“I’ll take breakfast in the nook,” Coco said and looked at TT, Lulu, and Lala. “If our guests will be joining me—which I assume they will—they will probably have their own requests for dishes.” 

“Of course, sir,” the cat said and finally looked up at all three of them. 

The question was, of course, unspoken. They were clearly waiting for whatever food order that they were going to make. Still, Lulu and Lala didn’t know what to say. They had never had attendants waiting on their orders. Having a volunteer crew was one thing, this was entirely different. 

“I’ll just have coffee,” TT said, breaking the silence. “Cream and sugar on the side.” 

“Fish!” Lulu blurted and then as soon as he started, he was taken away with the idea of being able to get anything. “With sweet cream. Eggs, over easy, with toast and bacon. Bacon! Tons of bacon! And pastries. Like French ones. With icing and fruit, and I want—” 

“I’d prefer if you didn’t clear out my entire kitchen,” Coco interrupted. He gave the attendant an approving nod, and they hurried off probably to deliver the order to the kitchen. “Come on. If we have a year to wait, then we have plenty of time to talk.” 

He led the way down the halls to a plush breakfast nook. The bookshelves were stocked with even more reading material, in every language imaginable. The cushions were from Asia and the wooden furniture was from Europe. The animal skins strewn across the floor were from the Americas and the artwork on the walls was from Africa. The twin glass jars the size of barrels that were the centerpiece of the room, carefully corked and holding two different types of dried leaves, were clearly from the best in the world. Marble plaques in front of each marked one as tobacco and the other as marijuana. 

“Perhaps later,” Coco said with a grin when he caught Lulu and Lala staring. 

And later was finally an option for them. 

They had a year. They had a future, at least that far ahead of them. They had time to actually sit down and think and _plan_. Coco had the resources and money to make their wildest dreams come true. They were at his whims, of course, but as long as his whims aligned with their best interest, he wasn’t dangerous. Yet. 

They would enjoy his hospitality and stay in his good graces. Lala had no idea if TT was going to stick around for the whole time. She wanted her too, but there was no way to tell Blackbones what to do. She did what she liked. She seemed content to eat breakfast with them at least, and Lala wanted to enjoy her company while they had it. 

They had a year to prepare, but Lala couldn’t help but feel nervous. Even with all that time to prepare, Marooner wasn’t going to go quietly. He was extremely, _extremely_ dangerous. 

They would just have to be more dangerous.


	2. Chapter 2

The year passed faster than Lulu anticipated.

He got fat living on Coco’s estate. The food was good and the lagoon was fortified so that they were safe without question. The village that his crew stayed at was within a day’s journey and more populated than they anticipated. They were friendly too, their partners and families, even small kittens, not even questioning when Lulu and Lala visited to get food and clothes that fit them better than the ones from Coco’s personal closet. 

They welcomed them with open arms. They knew what it was like to be pirates, out on the sea for months. They just had it a lot better than Lulu and Lala did. 

They got used to seeing Momo too. 

It was still bizarre to think of him like that. 

Momo. Instead of Captain Maynard. Momo, instead of the pirate hunter that had dozens of kills and hundreds of more captured and hung on the gallows in his name. He was supposed to be terrifying and lethal and dangerous, but now, he was just Momo.

He came and went almost as much as Coco’s other suitors. He wasn’t exactly . . . excited when he realized that Lulu and Lala were actually staying at Coco’s mansion and not just temporary houseguests like himself. The dinners where they all had to eat together were stilted and awkward, Coco being the main source of conversation as if he didn’t notice everyone glaring at each other. 

“You have to be polite,” Coco would say anytime Lulu or Lala complained. “Captain . . . _Maynard_ will be providing us ships for _your_ escapade.” He loved to hold that over their heads. Smug and condescending. Keeping them indebted to both himself and the naval officer. 

So meal times remained civil. 

Mostly. 

When Coco first explained their whole plan to Momo, there had been a lot of shouting and yelling. The staff had hid in their rooms, locking doors and closing windows while Momo yelled about communication in a healthy relationship and Coco cursed him out like only a sailor could. Lulu and Lala had sat through it all and when the adults finally shut up, they re-explained the whole thing in a much more polite tone. 

Momo still grumbled and complained, but a sly look and a smirk from Coco made him snap his mouth shut and he finally obliged them with the promise of support. 

TT came and went too. She had her own ships and crew to deal with though. 

She stopped by the house often enough, her and Lala sneaking time alone where and when they could. 

Coco’s huge house had plenty of small nooks and crannies to hide away in, and there was always a bell on hand to summon the staff to provide for anything that they might want. All of the staff were typically more than happy to get them drinks or sweets or any appetizers outside of the regular mealtime. 

It was several months before the actual date of departure that the first ships showed up and docked in the lagoon. The crew that came with them stayed in the village with the rest of Coco’s sailors and the stocks of guns and ammunition and food began to actually pile up. Frequently, Coco would sail out in the morning and come back with his ship sailing lower than ever and laden with more treasure and alcohol and weapons. 

“To keep the moral up,” he said and he took carts of it to the village and handed it out to the delighted kittens and thankful adults.

And so as the months passed and they got closer and closer to leaving, chests of heavy coats and oiled ponchos began to pile up in the entryway of the house. Armfuls of swords and knives and rapiers were tossed around like bundles of hay, and the amount of gunpowder and shot that sat down in the weatherproof sheds on the dock was enough to level an entire mountain. 

When the day arrived that they were finally scheduled to leave, Lulu was more anxious than anything, eager to get back out on open water and have the wind in his fur. Dry land had always been too still for him. He needed to have the ground moving beneath his feet if he wanted to truly be alive. 

So, when Coco announced the day that they would be loading everything up and actually pulling anchor, Lulu already had everything packed and ready to go. Not that he had many personal effects. His room on the ship was stocked and ready to go in under an hour, and Lulu was left to help everyone else load equipment and everything else. 

It was several hours after that before the anchors were pulled up and the ships began to file out of the lagoon one at a time. There were a dozen or so that were actually docked but as they pulled out into the open ocean, they were joined by dozens upon dozens more. They strung up their flags as Coco’s own personal galleon—the _Narwhal's Tusk_ —came into view, cheering and screaming and setting off guns and flares. 

Coco was wearing his full colors, a long gold-trimmed navy blue trench coat pulled tight over his shoulders, the golden buttons glimmering in the sun. His tricorn looked brand new, crisp black and silk. The blunderbuss strapped to his hip looked more for show than anything. His main weapon was already on his other hip. 

The massive ax was double edged with an ice pick. The wood of the handle was wrapped in leather for a better grip, though it looked smooth and worn from use. The metal head was polished steel, sharpened to a deadly point, and it had caved in hundreds if not thousands of skulls if the stories were true.

“It’s always the first trip on the waters after a winter on land that really puts the salt back in my step,” Coco said with a wild smile. “Come on, men! Sails!”

The crew on his own ship were already leaping into action, flagging the other ships to communicate as they all turned to head out into even more open water. The fleet was huge, but as they headed further and further away from land, they spread out more and more. Soon, the clamor and conversations from the other ships faded until it was just them out in the open water. 

Lulu was halfway up the ropes, face to the wind, breathing in fresh air for the first time in weeks. 

And Lala was right there with him, tail in the wind and her rapiers at her waist. 

“Come on, lads!” Coco was yelling, directing the entire crew from the stern. He didn’t even lift a paw. 

“ _Lads_ ,” his second-in-command said with a bark of a laugh. “I’d expect a bit more respect than that, _Captain_.”

Amelia Arrow was a Maine Coon twice the size of the biggest cat on the ship. Her black, brown, caramel tabby fur was so thick that she could sail in just a pair of canvas parachute pants with her pistols tied around her waist, and she towered over anyone that dared question Coco’s chain of command. She had about a half dozen rings and studs through her ears and nose and a golden fang that flashed whenever she smiled. Which was often.

She was behind the wheel at the moment, paws planted firm as she steered, barking orders whenever Coco took a moment to breathe.

“My apologies,” Coco said to her, a teasing twinkle in his eye. “I’m never one to discredit a quarter of my crew.” 

Amelia huffed a laugh and then had to heave against the wheel in order to correct the ship’s course by a couple of degrees. “A quarter lads and a quarter lasses, and a good half that know better than to get involved in all of that, I’d say.” 

“Of course,” Coco said, tipping his hat to her and then turning to address his crew. “We’ll follow the coast down to Europe. Catch our good friend Pieces of Eight right as he comes home, eh?” 

The crew cheered, and they sailed onward. 

It took a full month before they reached the actual ambush point. Lulu and Lala took to the ship-work and routine of sailing as eager as ever. They even mopped the decks, worked the sails, and worked below deck with the loads of boxes and barrels. They went to bed every night sore and tired, not used to the work after so many months on land. 

It didn’t take long though, before they were back to their usual selves. Lala even bet with the crew, throwing knives and challenging them to games of bravery and chance for the odd coin or bottle of alcohol. Lulu couldn’t remember the last time salted jerky or pickled vegetables or fresh fish had tasted so good. 

So when they finally arrived, Lulu and Lala were fit and ready and out for blood. 

Their ship had been taken from them. Their crew had been scattered. Their hideout and home had been ransacked and every piece of treasure and gold that they had collected had been stolen from them in turn. 

And Pieces of Eight was going to pay. 

They vowed it. 

They saw the first of the ships on the horizon a week after they had docked anchor. It was only one at first, and then two and three and four and a dozen. DD’s colors were hoisted on all of them. 

“Steady,” Coco said, jumping through the rigging and waving flags to his other ships. “Keep ‘em steady!” 

Three of DD’s ships were pulling broadside now, the hatches over their canons raised and the yawning metal barrels shoved through. Three more had their decks writhing with energy as the crews prepared for hand to hand combat. 

Coco didn’t even have to raise his own colors. DD knew there was going to be a fight and his men were ready for it. 

Lulu’s stomach twisted as he drew his own flintlock pistols and propped a knife between his teeth. And Lala was right beside him, her own weapons brandished and a look in her eyes that meant she was out for blood. This was personal, and she wasn’t going to give up until she evened the odds.

“There,” she hissed under her breath, and Lulu knew what she was talking about immediately.

Pieces of Eight, DD Marooner himself had finally stepped out onto deck. He didn’t even look scared or worried as he walked along the deck of his own three-layered galleon. While his typical black oil-skin coat had been shed for the warmer climate, his huge double-handed sword still hung from his hip. His fur was wild from the wind, but he still looked like the oceanic powerhouse that he was.

Lulu didn’t even try to hold her back. He would be right on her heels if anything. 

“Keep the anchor up!” Coco yelled. “Open up the guns! Hold for my signal!” 

The ocean churned between the ships, frothing and foaming as so many waves crashed against each other as the ships fought for space. They were within firing distance of each other now, and Amelia was yelling at the crew to pull down the sails. A flock of seagulls had gathered around their ships since they were so close to shore, and they screamed and circled, knowing that eventually there would be meat in the water and a good meal for their patience. 

It was quiet for a moment besides the call of birds, the creak of wooden masts, the clatter of weapons, and the slapping of water on the sides of their boats. 

DD laid back his ears and hissed. 

Coco dropped his paw. 

“Fire!” 

Every ship on the open water exploded with activity as canons fired and the heavy lead balls found their mark, tearing through wooden beams and the hulls of ships. Cats on both sides yowled and screamed and then pistol shot filled the air with smoke. 

“Get me closer!” Lala yelled at Coco.

Coco didn’t even get a chance to respond as the sails on DD’s ship fell open suddenly, and a gust of wind made the entire thing jump forward with a jolt. 

Lulu hissed in alarm, spotting the cat behind the wheel as they spun wildly in their direction. 

With no intention of stopping. 

“Brace yourselves!” Amelia yelled. 

It was the only warning they got, and then the two galleons slammed into each other.

Wood splintered and snapped. The main mast on DD’s ship groaned as it tangled with Coco’s and the whole system of ropes and sails strained against each other. Both of the decks tilted to such a sheer angle, tipping both crews to the middle. 

Lulu and Lala stumbled over each other, trying to maintain their footing as the decks became more and more severe. 

DD had a rope wrapped around one of his paws, hanging off his own ship as it took on water and began to sink. His eyes glowed with a sort of bloodlust as he surveyed the wreckage, not even caring that he was losing his own men and treasure to the waters too.

And then he spotted Lulu and Lala, side by side, struggling to stay upright.

“ _You_ ,” he snarled.

Lala snarled back. “Me.” 

She lunged before Lulu could do anything. 

She bounded across the decks, jumping from railing to railing to keep from falling into the churning sea below. She paused occasionally, leveling her pistols at DD’s head to keep him cowering for cover, but most of her shots went wide without any real chance of hitting. She flung herself into a rolling pile of claws and fur, a spat between their crews since she couldn’t reach DD. 

Yet.

Lulu kept his distance for now. 

He scrambled higher on the deck, hoping to get away from the water and to a safe vantage point where he could take shots at DD’s crew without too much of a risk to himself.

Around them, every other ship was also falling into combat. Canon smoke was starting to fill the air, and even though the weather was relatively clear, it was starting to darken the sky. Screams and war cries echoed from the other ships, and Lulu could hear the splashes of water as they lost cats to the sea.

Another one of Coco’s galleons was lurching closer to their wreckage, and the cats on the deck were readying ropes and grappling hooks, waving to get their attention. A rescue. Before the two ships sank too low. 

The sharpened wedges of the grappling hooks gouged fresh holes into the sides of the _Narwhal’s Tusk_ , but that wasn’t important. Lulu found one that had lodged itself deep enough to create a sturdy crossing point. He didn’t wait to see what happened to the rest of the ship. He stuffed his guns into their loops and then scrambled across, letting the cats on the other side grab him and pull him on board once he was close enough.

He shook off and turned just in time to see DD’s own ship creak and snap and then with a groan and a crack, break in half and slough beneath the waves. Not quickly or like it was in any hurry, just sinking further and further beneath the waves and dragging the _Narwhal’s Tusk_ down with it. The fights on the sloped decks broke up as all of the cats realized they were going down and broke apart. 

They dove off into the water, hoping to swim clear before any beams or chunks of wood caught on their clothes and pulled them under. 

Lulu rushed to the railing, leaning out over the water as he scanned for Lala’s white fur. She broke the surface a moment later, gasping for breath and then immediately swimming towards the ship he was on. Lulu grabbed a spare coil of rope, yelling and waving to get her attention before tossing her the lifeline. 

“Help me!” he yelled at a few crew members, and all together, once Lala had a sure grip on the rope, they hoisted her up the side of the ship and onto the deck. 

“I’m fine,” Lala snapped when Lulu hovered to make sure she was okay. She threw herself at the railing again, slapping the wet powder out of her pistols and patting down her pockets for her stash. “That bastard is gone. And I almost had him.” 

“Easy,” Lulu said. “He’s got hundreds of crew members that we need to get through first.” 

Lala had her teeth bared. “That won’t be a problem.” 

“Oh? Won’t it?” 

Lulu and Lala both spun around just in time to see DD haul himself over the railing and land hard on the deck. He was sopping wet and took a moment to wring out the fur around his face, but he didn’t look any less dangerous or fearsome. He still had his sword with him, somehow, and he clung to it tight, glaring at them with all the hatred in the world. 

Lala brought her pistols up and fired. But the powder was wet and they just clicked uselessly 

DD laughed, slightly out of breath from the swim but still ready for a fight. 

“I swore on my mum’s grave, that I would never let anyone steal a spot of gold from my own paws, not while I was alive and have breath in my lungs,” he said. “Those who steal from me get their guts strung from the rigging.” 

“You’ll have to tear me apart yourself!” Lala snarled, ripping her rapier from its sheath. She brandished it high and with a war cry, dove at DD with the blood lust of a shark.

And Lulu was right on her heels with his own sword in one hand and a knife in the other.

Without even a look between them, they each darted to one side, flanking him and forcing him to split his attention between them. As long as they were apart, he could only kill one of them at a time. Plus, one would always be able to jump in with a slash or a stab, and together, they would hopefully wear him down over time.

With a snarl, DD hoisted his own sword, and that was when they realized their first mistake. The heavy broadsword combined with DD’s huge reach meant that with a single swipe, he was able to force them both back at the same time. And neither of Lulu’s or Lala’s weapons had the weight to actually take a full hit, so they were forced to jump back and dodge, or be forced to take the full strength of DD’s strike. And neither of them was going to risk that. 

“You made a mistake attacking us!” Lala spat, twirling her blades and readying another attack. 

DD rolled his eyes. “I made a mistake letting you live when I sunk your ship and burned down your pathetic little hideout!” He brought up his huge broadsword. “And that’s a mistake I won’t make twice.” 

“Captain!” a cat yelled. “Another ship! Starboard! No colors!” 

Lulu was pretty sure the cat wasn’t yelling at him, but when DD turned as well, he couldn’t not look for himself. 

There was indeed another ship off starboard, flying no colors, but unlike any ship Lulu had ever seen. It was four times as wide as a typical ship. It sailed low in the water, but there were still three visible decks above water. The sails were a pristine white, unmarked by repairs or stains. The rest of the huge ship was just as immaculate, almost sparkling under the sun. Carved out and painted gold on the side of the ship was its title, _Hel and High Water_.

And Lulu had always thought it was a myth. 

“Watch out!” the look-out cats called. “Underwater!” 

Lulu craned his neck to look over the side of the railing, just in time to see the water froth into a wake as harpoon guns were fired. The entire ship jolted as they sunk in, making every cat on deck stumble for balance. And then the ship lurched again and listed heavily to one side as the harpoon ropes went taut and began dragging it back. 

“She’s got us!” one cat yelled, pointing at the _Hel and High Water_ where it sat, barely moving as it took the weight of several ships that it had caught on the harpoons. 

“Then what are you waiting for?!” Coco yelled. He must’ve been dragged out of the water at some point because he was soaked to the bone but still splattered in blood, same as his war hammer. His eyes blazed with anger as he grabbed members of his crew and threw them at the ship’s railing. “Cut us loose!” 

“I think it’s too late,” Lala said. 

The deck of the _Hel and High Water_ was starting to bustle with activity as its crew climbed out from below the decks. It had to be hundreds, and they scrambled up into the rigging and manned the sails. Even more began to operate some sort of mechanisms on the sides of the ship. Lulu didn’t understand at first until huge metal teeth were cranked out into the open. They gleamed under the sun and were clearly made to tear apart ships that the _Hel and High Water_ reeled in.

And the ship that Lulu and Lala were on was headed right for them.

“What the hell?!” Lala said. “Who is that?!” 

To her surprise, it wasn’t Lulu who answered. Or Coco. Or any of his crew. 

DD planted a huge paw on the railed in the ship, ears laid back and teeth bared. “The pirate queen,” he said. “I didn’t think she still sailed the waters.” 

“I thought she docked up north,” Lulu said, joining them both at the railing. “In fact, I didn’t even know she was still alive.” 

Several of Coco’s crew had dove into the water, taking huge breaths before diving under in an attempt to cut the harpoons away. They weren’t having much luck though, and more often than not were dragged away by the wake and current of the sinking ships before they could do anything. The other ships of Coco’s and DD’s fleets—the ones that weren’t taking on water from their fighting—were turning as quickly as they could and making speedy getaways. 

“Brace yourself,” DD said as the ship was reeled closer and closed and the spikes loomed before them. 

The ship collided with the spikes with a crunch of metal and wood. And Lulu, Lala, and DD were all thrown forward, barely able to maintain their grip on the railing. They all got a perfect view of the entire side of the ship getting shredded into kindling, the water gushing and swirling into the open space. 

They didn’t have much of a choice now, whether they wanted to retreat or run or not. Their ship was done for. Either they let themselves be taken aboard or let themselves drown. And as much pride as they had, they weren’t that stupid. 

So DD, Lala, and Lulu all dropped their weapons and put their paws up, keeping their heads low as they let the gangplank be extended to their deck. They crossed without issue, though DD hardly looked happy about it. The rest of Coco’s crew came along with their tails tucked, looking ready to put up a fight as the crew of the _Hel and High Water_ approached with ropes. But a look from Coco and they threw down their weapons, letting their paws be bound. 

“What’s going to happen to us?” Lulu muttered under his breath. Of course he had heard tales of the pirate queen, but most were second hand accounts. He had never met someone who had met her . . . and survived. 

Again, it was DD who answered. Apparently their quarrel was small and insignificant enough that he could put it aside in a moment. “I . . . I really don’t know.” 

Lala did not share the sentiment. She still looked ready for a fight, with anyone, weapons or no.

The elaborately carved wooden doors of the lower decks swung open and a new cat stepped into view. 

Lulu’s first thought was that it was just another member of the crew until every cat on deck stepped out of her way and bowed their heads respectively. And then he realized that the cat carried herself with an authority and power like DD did. Not just the captain of the ship. She was obviously more of that. 

The pirate queen. 

She was smaller than Lulu expected, wearing short skirts with layered petticoats—nothing that would get in the way of sea-travel though—and a blue leather corset cinched tight around his ribs and waist. It didn’t look like she was armed, but the way she carried herself was more than powerful enough. Her fur was thick and wild from the wild, which probably helped her stay warm in the northern climates. And if the rumors were true, that’s where her stronghold was.

DD was the only one who looked shocked. 

“Brindle!” he said. “Chuchu Brindle!” 

The tri-colored cat just gave them a triumphant smirk and propped her hands on her hips. “So I guess my name precedes me,” she said. “Good. That makes introductions less cumbersome.” 

“I have no idea who you are!” Lala said, throwing back her shoulders.

Lulu grabbed her shoulder to stop her from jumping forward and attacking, but Chuchu didn’t even look bothered.

“I have to say the same thing about you,” Chuchu said. “So I guess we’re even.” 

“Why are you here?” DD asked, interrupting Lala before she could say anything stupid. 

Chuchu clapped her paws together and looked excited. “Finally, questions I actually want to answer! Well you see, when my scouts send word that ships are gathering and there’s going to be fighting and bloodshed between pirates on _my seas_ , that’s cause enough for me to get involved. When I heard that Pieces of Eight and Cockswain were the ones in question that were fighting, well, I knew I would have to come down myself to pull you apart like the little kittens you are.” 

She looked younger than DD obviously. And she for sure had to be as young as Lulu and Lala. How she was the pirate queen, they had no idea, but they certainly weren’t in a position to question her at the moment. She carried herself like she knew what she was doing and knew that no one would question her doing it.

“Welcome to the _Hel and High Water_ ,” she said, spreading her arms wide and gesturing to the whole ship. “You’re under my charge until I say so, so you’d better get used to it. I have an iron clad brig for anyone who wants to complain and a quartermaster who has a cat-o-nine-tails they aren’t afraid to use.” 

As if that explained everything about what had just happened, she turned and headed towards the bow of the ship, calling orders to her crew and then settling next to the cat behind the wheel, chatting idly with the stout-legged Scottish fold and then laughing when they said something funny. 

“Well?” Lala said as the crowd of cats dispersed around them, and they were left alone, unbound. “Now what?” 

Lulu and Lala and DD all huddled around each other, enemies to reluctant allies in mere moments. Weaponless and without a clue about what was happening, they had barely pulled their thoughts together when TT and Coco pushed through the crowd, joining the small group. They were just as weaponless and just as confused though. 

“My guess,” DD said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Is that we’re heading back to Brindle’s pirate city. Some say it's a huge stronghold up north with seawalls and handmade lagoons, fishing boats and more gold than you could ever imagine.” He shrugged his shoulders then. “Others say it’s dozens of ships all cobbled together that sails the ocean and is always on the move. I’ve never seen it for myself.” 

“I guess we don’t have a choice now,” Coco grumbled, shaking himself off and then making a face at the gore that wasn’t so easily removed. 

Even with their surviving crew members also on board the _Hel and High Water_ , they were outnumbered a hundred to one. And with no weapons and their ships currently broken and scattered across the water, they didn’t have much in ways of escaping.

Their group was small, and Lulu couldn’t say that he trusted every cat that he was currently standing next to, but it was better than nothing. 

He looked up to the bow, where Chuchu was still standing, laughing with the cat behind the wheel and leaving the rest of the sailing of her ship up to her crew which—apparently—she trusted implicitly. And Lulu couldn’t help but admire her. So young and already a pirate queen. If the stories were true. 

The huge spikes were being rolled back into the ship now, packed up as the entire ship turned ever so slowly and took a new course, away from the wreckage and bodies in the water. The currents were slowly dispersing everything, taking away any evidence that there had been a fight at all. 

And Chuchu was at the head of it all, chatting away like she didn’t have a care in the world. 

Lulu would guess that the stories were very, _very_ true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look, i'm on tumblr @manuscript-or


End file.
